Electric key punch



ap& 2%, m2. c. m. LAKE KQTQEEQ ELEcTRIp KEY PUNCH Filsd June 1, 1925vwentoz Patented Sept. 20,1932

' I UNITED STATES PATENT;- oFncE CLAIR 17). LAKE, or smenemron,Nnw'Yoax, AssIeNon To run 'rABuLA'rI Ne mcnmn COMPANY, or mmrco'rr, NEWYORK, A conronn'rro'n on NEW JERSEY nnncrnrc KEY rtmcn,

Application filed June 1,

This invention relates to perforating mamember which through theoperatively positioned interposer operates the selected punch. Uponcompletion of'each punching operation the circuit of the punch magnet isagain broken. In the usual operation of such machines the armature ofthe punch magnet strikes the core of such magnet in each punchingoperation and the noise resulting from such strokes in rapid successionis extremely undesirable. Such strokes also may disturb the adjustmentsof different parts of the machines. In order to avoid such undesirableconditions it is necessary to prevent the armature from striking thecore of the magnet. It is also desirable to so adjust the related partsthat;

the best results can be obtained.

One of the objects of the invention is to provideefiicient andeconomical means for at taining the desiredresults.

Other objects of the present invention re side'in improvements in thearrangement of the punch magnet circuit to the generalend that sparkingat contacts is obviated and the action of the punching magnet is speededup.

Other objectsof the invention are to provide means for limiting theoperative movement of the armature of the punch magnet to restrain itfrom striking the core of the magnet, means for adjusting the magnet sothat the armature thereof-will approach it square- 1y; means foradjusting the magnet-toward 1 v buffer, the ad ustable toggle structure,the

and from the armature in its normal or retracted position ;adjustablemeans for determining the clearance betweenthe upper surfaces of'theinterposers and the punch operating device or depresser; adjustablemeans for'determining the relation between the armature of the punchmagnet and the punchoperating device or depresser; and adjust-P.arranged longitudinally 1925. Serial No. 34,030.

able means for breaking the circuit of the justed forwardly andrearwardly so that the adjacent face of the magnet will be in the properposition relative to the adjacent end of the magnet core when thearmature is drawn toward the magnet. The magnet may have two core endsfacing the armature and of the axis about which the armature swlngs' andthe magnet may be so adjusted that the plane determined by the two endsof the magnet core will be parallel to said axis of the armature.Provision may be made jof a cushioning buifer for engagement by thearmature when retracted and adjustable to assist in determining theclearance between the interposers and the depresser oroperating membertherefor.

An adjustment may also be interposed in the train of connections betweenthe armature of its movement toward the magnet. The end 'of the toggleaway from the armature is adjustably connected and servesvariouspurposes, for example, that of determining the proper final position ofthe armature when the magnet is energized.

that the adjustable It should be understood adjustment interposed in thetrain of con nections between the armature and the depresser, and theadjustment forthe magnet, although'each has its own function all e0miting posioperate in producin an effective machine forthe purposesspeci ed.

In connection with" the toggle provision s made of a spring device whichis tensioned just as the toggle reaches its straight condition andwhich, when the magnet is deenergized; acts on the toggle just longenough to start the breaking thereof.

To break the punch magnet circuit as soon as a selected punch has beenactuated, provision is made of two horizontally arranged p with theupper spring contact, the link exoperated hook showing its positionrelative spring contacts and depending link lifted each time aninterposer is moved into efiective position and having a shoulder toengage the lower spring contact and raise it into contact tendingdownwardly adj acent the horizontal armature-actuating link.Adjustablymounted on the horizontal link is a lug to engage suchdepending .link I when the armature reaches the end of its effectivestroke and re lease the lower spring contact to break the punch magnetcircuit.

' Other features and objects will-hereinafter .appear.

Fig. 11is a sectional side elevation of a pre i ferred embodiment of theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a view in section takenalongthe line 2'-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a detail view showing the armature of the punch magnet in theposition assumed upon energization of the magnet.

Fig. 4 is a circuit diagram.

Fig. 5 is a top sectional view of the keyto the lower contact blade inthe punch-operating circuit.

Upon depression of any one of a set of .punch selecting keys 1 acorresponding bell movement of the depresser 5 will depress theeffectively positioned interposer and consequently the correspondingpunch 6 against the action of its spring 8 to punch or perforate a cardlying between guide member 9 and a die 10. Normally the depresser 5 isheld in'raised position by means of a spring 11 interposed between afixed part of the frame and a lug 12 projecting from the bail 13 pivotedat 14 and of which depresser 5 is a part. p I p Each of the interposers4 is notched at its lower side to form a sho'ulder15 for engagement by across bar 16 of a bail 17 pivoted at 18 on a fixed part of the frame 19.The bail 17 is provided with a rearwardly extending arm 20 to which ispivoted at 21 a depending link 22 urged to the left, as seen in Fig. 1by a spring 23 attached at its other end to a fixed part of the frame.Near the lower end of the link 22 it is provided with ashoulder 24forming a hook to engage an insulating member 25 on a leaf spring 26with a contact point 27 thereon. Upon advance movement of any one of theinterposers 4 the bail 17 will be swung about its pivotal axis and thelink 22 lifted to bring the contact point 27 into engagement with acontact point. 28. J This results in closing the circuit of a punchmagnet 29 thus energizing the magnet and swinging an armature 30 in acounter clockwise direction about its pivot 31. The armature in thismovement acts through a link 32 and an arm 33 to rock the shaft 34. Ex--tending to and fixed upon this shaft is an arm 35 pivotally connected atits forward end with a bent link 36 pivoted at its up er. end at 37 toone-arm of the bail 13. Rocking of the shaft 34 by the armature in itsmovement towards the magnet will therefore result in swinging thedepresser 5 downwardly to engage the eflectively positioned interposerand the corresponding punch 6.

It is desirable to deenergize the magnet as soon as the punch has beenoperated in thismanner and restore the parts to the normal position. Tothis end the link 22 is extended downwardly below the shoulder 24 andsuch extended portion normally rests against a lug 38 extending acrossthe link 32 from an angle lever or member 39 pivoted at 40 on the link32 and having in the portion extending away from the pivot a slot 41concentric with the pivot 40 and through which passes aset screw 42threaded into the link 32.. When the armature 30 approaches the core ofthe magnet the lug 38 swings the link 22 to the right, Fig. 1, anddisenga es the shoulder 24 'from the insulating mem er 25.

It will be apparent that the disengagement of the shoulder 24 from theinsulating member 25 may be adjusted with precision by releasing the setscrew 42 and turning the member 39 to the desired extent about its pivot40.

When the armature 30 is in its normal or retracted position the rear ofthe armature or armature frame engages a member 43 of suitable materialto cushion the shock of engage- -ment and prevent any'unnecessary noise.

Such member 43 is mounted in an enlarged end of a member 44 having athreaded rear end extending through a web 45 of the frame and adjustablyheld in position by means of nuts 46. As will be brought out moreclearly hereinafter the adjustment in position of the member 44 has abearing u on the clearance between the depresser 5 an the upper edges ofthe interposers 4. Such clearance of the. depresser 5 above the"interposers 4 and the throw of the depresser 5 may also be regulated tosome extent by an adjustable connection between arm 33 and the link 32,as

disclosed herein. As shown herein provision is made of an adjustableeccentric pivotal connection 47'comprising a screw having its stemthreaded into link 32 and a portion 47 intermediate the threaded stemand the head of the screw. The portion 47 is eccentric to the threadedstem and passes freely through arm 33. By rotating the screw, theeccentric portion 47' varies the relativeangular positions of arm 33 andlink 32. Arm-33 being rigidly movable with arm 35, the clearance of thedepresser 5 above the interposers may in this manner be accuratelyregulated.

nected at the other end by means of a bolt 52 to spaced links 53 pivotedby means of a bolt 54 to a member or block 55 provided with a rearwardlyextending threaded shank 56 passing through web and adjustably securedthereto by nuts 57.. The .block is also provided with a tongue 58projecting.

between the links 53 and overlying the cross bar 59. of a bail 60 havingarms 61 loosely mounted on the bolt 54 and engaging the outer faces ofthe links 53. Pro ecting upwardly from the cross bar 59 and betweenlinks 53 is a lug 62 to which is attached the lower end of a spring 63connected'at its upper end with a fixed pin 64; It will be seen frominspection of Fig. 3' that upon deenergization of the ,magnet 29 thespring 63 will swing the-bail 60 until the cross bar 59 comes intoengagement with the tongue 58. This movement although very slight willbe sufficient to break the toggle linkage 49 and enable the armature, 30to be swung to its retracted or normal position as shown in Fig. 1.. T v

The magnet 29 comprises two cores 48 joined at the rear by the yoke 65and coils surrounding each of said cores 48. Provision is made foradjusting the magnet for purposes to be brought out more clearlyhereinafter. For such adjustment use is made of bushings 66 threadedintoa web 67 of the frame 19 and engaging at their inner ends \the yoke 65.Suchbushings are connected with the yoke 65 by means of set screws 68passing through the bushings and threaded into the yoke and afteradjustment ofthe bushings by means of the heads 69 thereof they may belocked in position in the web 67 by means of lock nuts 70.

The adjustable bushings 66 and set screws 68 may-be used toshift themagnet 29 bodily v to the left or right (Fig. 2) or by varying,

the adjustments of the two bushings may shift the yokev so as to inclinethemagnet to .either one side or the other. By the second of theseadjustments the ends of the cores 48 may be brought into such positionsthat they will be equally distant from the armature 30 and by the firstof these adjustments the ends of the cores 48 may be positioned so as tobe separated to a slight extent from the adjacent face of the armaturewhen such face is substantially vertical. (Fig. 3.)

To prevent the armature 30 from passing beyond the position shown inFig. 3 the nuts 57 are so positioned on the shank 56 that the toggle 49will be completely straightened .when the armature reaches suchposition.

Then the eccentric pivotal connection 47 may be adjusted to determinethe lower limit of the stroke of the depresser 5 and therefore of thepunches 6, and the nuts 46 may be adj usted on the member 44 to positionthe member 43 so that when the armature 30 is in engagement therewiththe depresser 5 will have the desired clearance above the interposerswhen in its normal position. I

It should be understood that the manner 7 of making the desiredadjustments may be varied and that various changes in the constructionand arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spiritof the invention.

Referring to the circuit diagram (Fig. 4,),

*a condenser 70' is shown in a circuit 71 which includes a resistance72. 'This condenser minimizes the sparking at contacts 2728 and alsospeeds up the operation of themachine as a whole. This speeding upof themachine operation is secured by rapidly kill ing the induction in themagnet 29. Without the condenser the magnet. 29 would remain energizedto a certain extent at least during the period in which the s arkoccurred at the contacts. The purpose 0 resistance 7 2 is to preventhigh and excessive oscillatory current discharges from the condenser 71What I claim is 1. A punching machine of the type having light punchesfor perforating record cards or the like and punch-operating means in-.cludinga punch-actuating device connected 'lis,

to-the armature of an operatinglsolenoidy characterized by the fact thatretarding means are provided forthe punch actuating.

device, comprising a stationary member and J a toggle linkage connectedat one endto said member and at the other end to said armature.

2. A machine as set forth in claim 1, fur- .125. ther characterized bythe fact that means are 1 provided to normallyhold the togglelinkagebroken' when the armature is released from" the attractionof thesolenoid.

3. A punching machine of the type having light unches for perforatingrecord cards or the li e operated by a reci rocatable punchactuatingdevice connecte to the armature of an operating solenoid characterizedby the fact that means are provided for determining the end of thepunch-actuating stroke of the device, comprising a stationary memberlocated at the side of the armature opposite the solenoid and aconnection located between the said member and armature for positivelyarresting the movement of the armature toward the solenoid at a definitepoint and simultaneously arresting the punch-actuating movement of saiddevice.

4. A machine such as described in claim 3, and means for adjusting theconnection between the armature and stationary member for adjusting theoint at which the punchactuating stroke of said device terminates.

5. A machine such as described in claim 3, said connection between themember and armature consisting of rigid links pivoted to each other.

6. In a record punching machine of the type wherein light punches forperforating record cards or the like are operated by a magnet, anarmature therefor and punch opcrating means actuable by the armature,means at the other sideof the armature from the magnet coacting withsaid armature for limiting the movement of the punch-operating meanscomprising a toggle linkage pivotally connected at one end with thearmature and at the other end with a fixed part of the machine, meanstending to break the toggle linkage, and means for rendering thelastmentioned means inefl'ective as soon as the breaking action isstarted.

record cards or the like are operated by a magnet, an armaturetherefor,'and punch-operating means actuable by the armature, means forlimiting the movement of the punch-opcrating means comprising a to g elinkage connecting the armature with a xed part of the frame, and aspring device tensioned by the toggle linkage as the latter isstraightened by the armature and effective to produce a slight breakingof the toggle linka e to permit further breaking of the togg e by thearmature as it returns to its normal position.

8. In a record punching machine of the type wherein light unches forperforating record cards or the li e are operated by a magnet, anarmature therefor and punchoperating means actuable by the armature,means for limiting the movement of the punch-operating means comprisinga toggle linkage arranged to be straightened by such movement [of thearmature, a spring-tensioned lever in the path of said linkage, and astop to determine the position of said lever for actuation by saidlinkage as the latter becomes fully extended and to restrain said leveras soon for llmiting the movement of the punch-operating meanscomprising a toggle linkage arranged to be straightened by such movementof the armature, a member on which the link of said linkage farthestfrom said armature is pivoted, a tongue projecting from'said membertoward the armature, a spring-urged lever pivoted on said member andextending beneath said linkage'for engagement thereby and beneath saidtongue so that said lever will be displaced from said tongue by thelinkage when straightened by the magnet and will be checked by saidtongue after starting the breaking of said linkage when the magnet isdeenergized.

10. In a record punching machine having a set of punches, a depresseroverlying said punches and interposers movable one by one into effectiveposition between the depresser and the punches, a magnet, an armaturefor said magnet, means for adjustably determin ing the normal positionof said armature when withdrawn from said magnet, and a connectionbetween the armature and the depresser for actuating the latter andadjustable for independently of the aforesaid means determining theclearance between the depresser and the interposers when the armature isin said normal position.

11. In a record punching machine having a set of punches, a depresseroverlying said punches and interposers reciprocable into and out ofeffective position between the depresser and the corresponding punches,a magnet, an armature for said magnet, means for adj ustably determiningthe position to be assumed by the armature when the magnet is energizedand a connection between the armature and the depresser for actuatingthe latter and adjustable for independently of the aforesaid meansdetermining the limit of the throw of the depresser and consequently ofthe punches.

12. In a record punching machine having a set of punches, a depresseroverlying said punches and interposers reciprocable into and out, ofeffective position between the depresser and the corresponding punches,a magnet, an armature for said magnet, means for adjustably determiningthe position'to be as sumed by the armature when the magnet is saidmeans and said adj ustable connection for determining the normal orretracted positiizn of the armature and consequently theclearpresser'for actuating the latter and adj ustable v for determiningthe limit of the throw of the depresser and consequently of the punches,

- means for determining the normal or retracted position of the armatureand consequently the clearance'between the depresser and the interposersand adjusting means to position the magnet to provide clearance betweenthe same and the armature when the magnet is energized.

14. In a record punching-machine having a set of punches, apunch-operating device and interposers movable between said device andsaid punches for operating the latter, a ma net, an armature therefor,and means, in-' clu 11g an operating connection between said armatureand said punch-operating device and eccentrically adjustable means foradjusting said connection, for determining the clearance between saiddevice and said inter posers. I

15. In a, record punching machine, a magnet, an armature therefor, acontrol-circuit for said magnet punch-operating means connected withsaid armature for actuation by said magnet, a circuit making andbreaking device for said circuit, and means adjustably secured to andactuated by the punch-operat ing means for actuating the circuit makingand breaking device. 4 I

16. In a record punching machine, a set of pu'nches, a depresser,interposers movable into position between said depresser and saidpunches for operating the punches, a magnet,

an armature therefor, a controlling circuit .for said magnetdepresser-operatin means actuable by said armature, a contact evice insaid circuit, means operable by any one of said interposers foractuating said contagt device, and an adjustable means actuable by saidmagnet for restoring the magnet circuit to its initial status. e

17 .In a record punchinglnachin'e, a set of punches, adepresser,interposersmovable into effective position between said depresser andsaid punches, a,ma'gnet, an armature there- -'for', depresser-operatingmeans actuable by said armature, a normally open contact device in themagnet circuit comprising a fixed contact and-a movablecontact biased.away from the fixed contact,.a device actuable by any of saidinterposers in moving to effective position, for engaging and moving themovable contact into engagement with the fixed contact, a deviceactuable by the armature independently of any of the interposers fordisconnecting the contact moving device from the movable contact, andmeans for ad usting instant of operation thereof.

18. In a record punching machine, a set of said disconnecting device todetemnine the unches ade resser inter osers movable into effectiveposition between said depresser and said punches, a magnet, an armaturetherefor, depresser-operating means including a link pivoted to saidarmature and extending away from said magnet, a normally open contactdevice in the magnet circuit comprising a fixed contact and a movablecontact biased away from the fixed contact, a link having a hook portionto engage and pull the movablecontact into engagement with the fixedcon-I tact to close the magnet circuit, means operable by any one ofsaid interposers for shifting the last mentioned link to close thecontact device, "and means for disconnecting the second mentioned linkfrom the movable contact including a device adj ustably mounted on thefirst mentioned link. i

19. In a record punchingmachine, a punch operating device, a punchselecting device, a magnet, an armature therefor connected with saidpunch operating device by means including a reciprocable link, meansincluding a link operable by the punch selecting device,

for closing the circuit of said magnet, and means rendered efi'ective bythe movement of the armature toward the magnet for breaking the magnetcircuit, said circuit breaking means including a member pivoted on the'first mentioned link so as to engage the second mentioned link andshift the same to break the magnet circuit and means to adjustablysecure said pivoted member on the first mentioned link in a position toefiect circuit breaking at the proper time.

20. In a record punching machine, a punch operating device, apunchselecting device, a magnet, an armature therefor connected with saidpunch operating device by means including a reciprocable link, meansincludinga link operable by the punch selecting device, for closing thecircuit of said magnet, and

means rendered effective by the movement of 5 the armature toward themagnet for breaking the magnet circuit, said circuit breaking meansincluding a member pivoted on the first mentioned link so as to engagethe second mentioned link and shift the same to break the magnet circuitand means, including a set screw passing through'a slot in said memberconcentric'with the pivot thereof, to adj ustably secure said pivotedmember on the first mentioned link in a position to effect circuitbreaking at the proper time.

21. In a record punching machine, a magnet, an armature therefor,punch-operating means actuable by said armature, a stationary device atthe other side of the armature from the magnet for engaging the armatureupon its movement away from the magnet for limiting the movement in onevdirection of the punch-operating means, and means connected to the frameand to the armature for positively arresting the movement of the punchoperating means in the direction opposite to aforesaid direction at adefinite, pre- 10 determined point for preventing the shock ofengagement of the armature and said magnet.

22. In a machine provided with punches, a magnet, an armature therefor,punch-oper ating means actuated by said'armature, a sta- 1 tionaryframe, and a device adjustably carried by said frame and including alink attached to saidarmature for positively stopping said armature atone end of its stroke in a definite, predetermined position, the adjustment of said device serving to predetermine said position andsimultaneously serving to; thereby adjust the stroke of thepunch-operating means. i t

In testimony whereof I hereto afiix my sig- 88 nature.

CLAIR 1). LAKE; v

